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Money doesn’t grow on trees? The nursery cashing in on the world’s need for urban canopies says otherwise
As cities swelter in heatwaves of increasing ferocity and the need for climate-regulating and shadeproviding canopy cover grows clearer, urban planners and landscape architects are turning to tree services and suppliers, to import trees.
How the reconstruction of Lisbon’s Baixa district became a model for modern urban planning
Lisbon’s Baixa neighbourhood, ravaged by natural disasters in the 18th century, is a design lesson in reconstruction that breathes harmony and order.
Can neuroscience help architects design buildings that make us feel better?
Buildings do more than just shelter us: they inform how we feel on a psychological and physical level. Researchers in the field of neuro-architecture are developing new ways of creating stress-free urban environments.
Lisbon’s abandoned commercial spaces are offering creative solutions to the housing crisis
In a city centre that’s short on space, architect José Guimarães is betting that the answer isn’t to build more but to revamp what already exists.
Lisbon’s Beato and Marvila neighbourhoods are finding new life as cultural hubs
After decades of neglect, Beato and Marvila have been reimagined with galleries, cafés and arts complexes that have revived the city’s manufacturing heartland.
Listen up! For cities to thrive, they need to sound as good as they look
Noise pollution in urban environments is on the rise but better acoustic planning could help to silence the issue.
How to cool cities naturally, without resorting to air conditioning
Humanity has adapted to environmental challenges. But to mitigate the effects of a warming world, cities must look to the past to glimpse a better future.
The people’s charter for living well in cities: 13 rules for oafs, oiks and rapscallions
What can residents expect from their city – and what should it expect in return? Here, we present a 13-article charter laying out the rights and responsibilities of an ideal citizenry.
Five new-generation, millennial mayors reaching across the US political divide
As US national politics grows ever more polarised, youthful leaders from the left and right are pragmatically focusing on solving their cities’ problems – helping to restore voters’ faith in the democratic process.
From Bangkok to Bogota, these 23 innovative urban initiatives keep people moving and joyful
Fitness is often framed as a personal endeavour but cities can help to nudge us into healthier lifestyles. A charming playground, safe cycle lanes and well-designed waterfronts are a start.
